Facebook Launches UK-Only Anti-Scam Hotline

Facebook is spending £3m on making it harder for people to use Facebook to spread various scams, with the move part of a deal to make peace with internet legend Martin Lewis -- a man whose likeness has previously been stolen and used to launch a thousand unauthorised online scams.

Lewis has agreed to settle his High Court claim against Facebook in return for the investment in anti-scam measures, that have got the social network launching a Citizens Advice Scams Action team dedicated to scouring its listings for rip-off nonsense to do with Bitcoin or whatever the current pyramid-sales scam of the day might be, offering "one-to-one support" for victims of fraud. Or, more likely, a chat window for Martin Lewis to let them know when someone's pasted his photo atop a guaranteed* returns** win-win*** financial scheme.

Facebook has also agreed to launch an in-app reporting tool for scam ads, but this'll only be available in the UK; presumably there's no global-markets equivalent to Martin Lewis that routinely finds his or her face and brand passed off and used to endorse dodgy financial schemes. [MSE]